


But Shadows Follow

by bertlebear



Category: WILL: A Wonderful World (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Drug Dealing, Drugs, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gangs, Gangsters, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Hacking, Injury, Interrogation, Investigations, Kidnapping, Nightmares, Police, Rescue Missions, Revenge, Scars, Self-Doubt, Self-Hatred, Serial Killers, Torture, Trust Issues, Undercover Missions, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24731530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bertlebear/pseuds/bertlebear
Summary: “When the world turns its back on you, turn your back on the world. I have found so much beauty in the dark, as I have found a lot of horrors in light.”You were always keen on becoming an officer for the sake of helping others. It came with respect as well as devotion, and you wanted to fulfill your parent’s last wishes to follow in their footsteps. However, there was a hidden twist, something you couldn’t quite put your hands on after the horrible tragedy of Operation White Bay. The selfish desire of wanting to maintain peace causes wars, and hatred is born to protect love. No matter what, you would search each corner and street of the planet to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths of your parents.  But perhaps another revelation, accidentally awakened, would prove to be a dangerous threat, one you’ve never imagined before. With unpredictable silhouettes prowling among your every move, who is a friend, and who is a foe?
Relationships: Kang Baek-Ya/Reader
Kudos: 1





	1. Duty Calls

One.

A guy who looked to be in his mid-thirties, a messy beard with a bulbous, short form, sauntered in the hallway near the doorway, right next to your entrance.

Two.

This man was considerably taller, with a bomber jacket and a black cap, hindering your sight on his appearance. By the looks of it, he seemed to have a somewhat lanky build compared t the first, and definitely younger.

Three.

“What’s the current situation?”

The voice of your lieutenant came from your earpiece, sharp and demanding. It hadn’t surprised you since an answer should have been provided minutes ago. Even the smallest mistake or delay could ruin the result like water to a flame. But you couldn’t control the hungry urge to take them down like a lone wolf, which would surely be riskier for you than the rest of the squad. Your heart started racing at the thought, peeking anxiously out from your binoculars to give a roguish smirk at Rim Jiyoo, your other superior officer.

It had been three weeks since you had first joined Unit 2, which mostly handled the drug-dealing cases within areas of Busan. Today, the lieutenant had been in a sufficient mood today to reluctantly bring you along with them on your first mission. The lieutenant wasn’t an easy one to impress, and she was constantly serious, never before had you seen her laugh at one of Rim’s corny jokes.

You remembered vaguely the time she had welcomed you into the Unit and deemed you as troublesome just from one quick glance at your salute. You had wondered why she would always order you in a curt tone to do different tasks, never bothering to say anything else besides jobs that were work-related. It wasn’t until you met Rim that he explained you were going through “the trial,” so that she could observe and figure out where you stood among skills and the tendency to be obedient.

Up to now, you had proved yourself to be tolerable, passing the firearms test without problem and remaining silent on cases that were not to be shared with other units. You were able to write reports that were detailed with convincing evidence, not to mention the quick showers you took in the change rooms to avoid the lieutenant after an exhausting work day. So what was the problem?

It was your behaviour. According to Lieutenant Jeagal, your sarcasm and wits was beyond unbearable. The only conflict that prohibited the lieutenant from perceiving you as perfect, was your inability to understand her reasoning, even going so far as to retort your cruel honest opinions on what she commanded. Kim had said that probably nobody who ever came as a newbie to Unit two would be as rebellious as you were.

Your mere presence in their takedown plan had already been the beginning for your series of mistakes when static was the only sound blasting obnoxiously in your ears. The loss in time had been grave, five minutes already ticking away. However the ambush would continue to take place. Without hesitation you begun to sneak closer to your targets, a pungent smell hitting your nose, sour and thick.

You continued to search the area with Rim, the green foliage providing an immense deed of camouflage. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft crunching of the leaves under your feet. Pressing your hand to your ear, you finally give your findings to your unit leader. “Lieutenant, I count three men at the doorway, all appearing to be armed. There are two more circling around the warehouse, I’m assuming they also have guns at the ready as well.”

“Shall we engage or wait for you to take them down?” Kim signalled for you to halt, realizing that the forest floor was giving way to an open space, revealing your unrelenting pace to close in on the old warehouse. You rolled your eyes, but in spite of your eagerness to take on the enemy, you knew that the element of surprise would put your team with the upper hand and so with this fact your feet stayed in place.

Jeagal’s apathetic voice of confirmation was all you needed to hear. “Engage, we’ll surround them from all corners. If they retaliate,” there was a pause and you waited with bated breath, “Use necessary force since they’re also armed. Be careful!”

Rim then cocked his gun, taking aim. A mixed feeling of excitement and fear washed over you. This was where it truly began. He fired a loud blast of noise like thunder. The bullet ricocheted off a wooden plank, a couple metres beside a guard’s head. It was the one with the cap. He flinched, letting out an alarmed shout that had the other men disarrayed in a confused mess. Overlapped murmurs and whispers could be heard, the men eventually gathering in the area where the guard was.

You had to admit, the sound of gunfire was much louder compared to practice, where you had a pair of sound-cancelation headphones. It left your ears ringing as Rim retreated in the distance, still concealed behind the trees. Tensing your body, adrenaline began to take over, sweat beginning to gather at your palms. In a booming menacing voice, Lieutenant shouted over the haze of people, their heads snapping to the vicinity of the forest and trying to locate the source.

“THIS IS THE POLICE! SURRENDER YOUR WEAPONS NOW AND THERE WILL BE NO BLOODSHED! WE HAVE SUSPICION OF YOUR WAREHOUSE HOLDING DRUGS, AND WE WILL HAVE THE AREA CONFISCATED AND SEARCHED!”

The men frantically turned to one another for advice, clearly unorganized as they did not seem to have a solid idea of what to do. You sneaked a glance at Rim, who was also crouched down, eyes narrowed in concentration. His finger was still poised over the trigger, the barrel of the Glock 43 facing the soil ground. There was a sudden chill in the air, silence growing over the sound of the birds while they scattered in a rush, squawking with panic.

A shiver went down your spine. Something was wrong.

You took your gun out, hands trembling with effort. The cool breeze that passed by seemed to weigh a ton and the top of your head peeked out to check if it was safe-

A deafening hurricane of metallic noises erupted from inside the warehouse, riddling the old wood into splinters and holes. The group of guards jumped away in panic, smoke rising from the entrance. They stumbled right into your trap, Lieutenant Jeagal and comrade Chu Myung making light work of the three and disarming them within seconds. Meanwhile, you and Rim were still trying to make sense of the culprit behind it all, a shadow slinking out from the obscuring scene.

Their ringleader chuckled, dark and crisp. He was covered in soot and debris, his clothes consisting of what appeared to be a black suit with a top hat. An eye patch rested on his left eye, dress shoes clicking with each calm step into the sunlight.

Your eyes widened. This was whom Kim had warned you dangerously of during briefing. He went by Hyeon-Suk, and was connected to the Musun gang by providing them with the drugs they needed. Countless officers had fallen to him, attempting to capture him but unable to avoid his varied tactics up his sleeves. He was known for being exceptionally skilled with a rifle, and your gaze snapped to his hand, clutching an umbrella.

Suspicion immediately rooted you to the spot, as you relayed the new info to Jeagal and Chu. “Are you two okay? Hyeon has made an appearance, and he seems to be carrying an umbrella.”

The lieutenant let out a grunt of frustration. “We’re fine, but tread with caution. The guy’s unpredictable, so make sure you and Rim communicate well.”

You nodded with Rim, agreeing with his plan to keep a distance with the man to observe what his strategy was. Only when he posed a threat would you two have to fight him with bullets.

Hyeon swept his eye across the terrain, scowling at the green environment that hindered his vision. Taking his umbrella out, he opened it up, the pattern of polka dots a bright green and pink colour. You grit your teeth, feeling helpless in the situation when he spoke.

“You officers are cowards, hiding in the forest when who you want is right here in front of you! The weak men you captured can go to jail, for all I care. And what a bad day to plan an ambush, it’s about to rain!”

Mocking was one thing, but the fact that you could still hurt him overpowered all the factors. You stared at the gun in your hand. A weapon. Back at Hyeon, anger starting to coursing through your veins. What motivated someone like him to do such evil deeds? How were you and Kim going to take him down? What was he going to do? Even if you didn’t know them, the thoughts of many officers dying effortlessly under the hand of him only added fuel to the fire.

Revenge was the last thing you wanted. But letting him go unharmed meant many more unnecessary losses. Wasn’t an officer’s job to serve and protect? There wasn’t much time. An unknown force was expanding, growing larger until you couldn’t stand it. The desire to kill.

In a swift motion, it all happened at once. Your hand shot out from the bushes, pointer finger squeezing the trigger. Rim rushing to stop you, mortified. The gun kicked back into your palm, like you expected, your grip tightening on instinct. The bullet zipped out in a blur, missing Hyeon’s head by a couple metres and tearing a large hole into his umbrella.

Shit.

Rim looked like he was on the verge of killing you on the spot. You were still disoriented from firing, the atmosphere in front of you reeking with gunpowder. He grabbed your shoulders and pulled you down to the ground, your limbs unable to support you. The ground was hard and pain shot up your back, but it was the least of your worries.

Hyeon now had his gaze on the rustling disturbance in the undergrowth. The sinister grin he had burned itself into your aching head.

You were cowering from both him and Rim, who was holding back every ounce of energy not to strangle the person who had exposed, and quite possibly, ruined the entire mission. What were you thinking, to let yourself be easily swayed by Hyeon’s dirty mockery? Shaking your head, you tried to clear the muddled pulp of your brain. Sure, he had infuriated you, but the price he had to pay after you shot his umbrella was inexplicably higher. A thought occurred to you that maybe it might have been for a good reason after all.

Rim’s attention snapped back to the man in the middle of the fray. He was snarling, lips peeling back to reveal yellow teeth. “ _How dare you_.”

Your comrade caught your arm and tugged you deeper, away from line of sight. His grip dug in like metal clamps. You didn’t mind. He had every right to be angry. Explanations would have to be done later, assuming the four of you made it out alive. Once you were several metres away from where Hyeon was pointing the tip of his umbrella at, he didn’t spare another glance and roughly released you. Reflexes did not kick back in and you stumbled from the momentum, hands flying out to push against the ground. Rim made haste and you could see him mumbling irritably into the earpiece. A hollow feeling settled in your chest as you sunk to your knees. The lieutenant would never let you hear the end of it, much less keep you from being expelled.

“You don’t get it, do you Rim?”

“The fact that you just put everyone at risk? Hell yeah I do!”

Grabbing hands clenched into fists around the waistband of his shirt, voice shaking with plea for him to understand. You hated how pathetic you sounded, contradictory to the crucial reminder that came out from your mouth. “If it weren’t for me, nobody would have even known that it was a gun disguised as an umbrella!”

He growled. “Nobody could have predicted something so unexpected! Who knows what other weapons he has? You stepped way out of line, rookie! Your curiosity wasn’t worth the dangerous outcomes!” A weak glow shone from the top of the trees, shedding light on the beads of sweat now visible upon Rim’s neck. The last line had a hint of defeat, anguish imminent in his tone. 

The gun was still held securely in your hand, although it was no longer on the trigger. Rim leaned against a tree nearby, green flecks of moss beginning to form around the trunk. You kept your mouth shut, mind already forming words you would regret. It wasn’t your place to talk. Enough damage had been done, you had explained and that was all you needed for a reply. Biting back would just make it worse, especially for someone as talkative as Rim.

Instead, your look met Rim’s, noticing the nest of brown hair droop into his glazed eyes. He clenched his jaw; arms tense beside his waist while he loomed over you, a hunter about to strike. A sort of mutual acceptance lingered behind his gaze, because he made no move closer or snapped at you. Although there wasn’t a single breeze to be felt, you shivered involuntary. This would have to wait until later. But where would you even begin to explain? You weren’t sure whether he had forgiven you, or if he was leaving you for the lieutenant to deal with. Apologizing wouldn’t work, not in such a devastating moment. You dropped your head down, knowing that it was the best option right now and felt a dull vibration on the floor.

Rim suddenly turned away from you; exhaling sharply as he ran back the way you had came from, into the opening of the forest. His worried, terrified expression latched onto the back of your mind, rising above the current problem at hand. Rim had said something before he left, but you were unable to catch the panicked whisper.

Picking the battered shape from the ground, you forced yourself up. Numb, worn out legs stumbling unsteadily, failing in supporting the weight of your body. Every fibre of your skin seemed to weigh a ton, arms dragging you down to the floor no matter how firm you attempted to walk with your entire being together. A tingling sensation washed over you; perhaps it was the adrenaline seeping back into your system. You welcomed it as the energy flooded over your chest, expanding. The dull throbbing of your cuts and scrapes dissipated into the air. Even though it was the last thing you wanted to do after everything, you had to follow Rim.

You soon figured out that the vibrations weren’t his footsteps. It was something else, much larger, dangerous. The bushes parted to reveal Rim, his back to you and gaping at the tattered warehouse, on the border of crumbling. You studied him carefully, once again matching the angle of his stare to the open, empty cold battlefield. No, it wasn’t Hyeon he was looking at.

There was a black dot, growing larger with each passing second. Could Chu and the lieutenant see this? In the horizon, the vibrations grew louder, an incessant noise hammering against your eardrums. The object grew closer and closer, intensifying the fear that paralyzed you in place. You immediately recognized what it was, grabbing onto Rim’s arm in an effort to steady yourself. He didn’t resist, however the action awakened him, hands fumbling for his gun. It made you feel safer, but no amount of defence was going to be enough. It travelled in a neat line, headed straight for the area your unit occupied. Hostile for sure.

Your heart leapt into your throat when it closed in. A plane, zooming across the area above in the sky, only a couple hundred metres distanced from where you were standing. There was a flash of motion in your peripheral vision. Hyeon had raised his umbrella in the air like a trophy. Destruction streaked in your mind, the awareness rapidly sinking in.

Bombs and missiles were definitely loaded. The scenes you had witnessed in movies were becoming a reality.

“Rim, we need to leave, now!”

“I know! I’ve warned the lieutenant.” He was already a step ahead, shoving you forward to scramble after him. Stumbling, an automatic sequence overtook your feet and panic asserted its roots in your numb muscles.

You couldn’t help but tear your gaze away to look back, Hyeon’s silhouette menacing and darkly twisted the further you ran. The cold air that chilled your bones was nothing compared to the flaring anger that burned in your heart, an amber hot iron that weighed heavily in your chest and every thump squeezing at your insides like fingers curled tight. A shade of olive, emerald, and pine blurred around you, the leaves and ferns above blending together into an endless sky of green. Twigs seemed to reach out, grabbing and poking at your face no matter where you turned your head. Only one thought persistently rang with your core. Keep sprinting. Don’t stop.

Rim was keeping pace in front of you, and a burst of determination and strength was what kept your attentive senses alive, registering the burning in your throat. Where was the lieutenant? Were they safe? The loud buzzing faded to a dull static, the aggression in space was settling down to an eerie tranquillity. It wasn’t registering yet, but your thoughts swam inside your mind sluggishly, drifting further and further away.

Loud shouting. Your comrade’s mouth wide open, pure alarm etched into his face. Plane. It was the black plane. The bombs had been planted, about to go off any second.

The shattering blast had disappeared as quickly as it had come. A powerful, deafening roar ruptured from the air, crinkling debris that rains splinters all over the affected foliage. With hazy eyes, you dove at the ground, the hard floor scraping dust all over your uniform but showing to be an impulse of fright with the rush of heat that enveloped your back. Fortunately both you and Rim were able to place one foot over the other, shaken up yet unharmed. Pounding of drums echoed in your ears. A throbbing ache. Ringing. Hiding the firearm away, Rim joined your nervous gaze that flitted to the destructive scene of conflict.

An inferno swarmed what was once a tatty warehouse, ginger flames leaping high in the sky. Dark smoke clouded the area, your lungs refusing the poisonous air. But the suffocation couldn’t be discerned between your growing worry for the mission. Had Hyeon escaped? And the lieutenant and Chu, why weren’t they answering their comm. devices? You couldn’t see them at all in the mist of burning wood. The structure had buckled in on itself with numerous crackling pops, embers floating like fireflies while the blaze consumed charring wood, an unquenchable rage.

“God damnit, we need a fire truck. The flames are going to spread and destroy the forest!” You heard Rim curse, letting out a weak cough and covering his face tightly with the sleeve of his elbow.

On one hand, you were so exhausted, the searing agony increasing in your throat. Airway locking shut. Terror creeping to settle in your system. But the other side was pushing, forcing you to flee, escape the brunt of the damage. Shaking hands reached for the earpiece, eyes narrowing closed at the stinging mist of carbon monoxide. You managed to rasp out fragments of information to the firefighters before Rim shook your shoulder, the touch surprisingly gentle.

His voice did nothing to soothe you; it was crushed and only added misery to your defeated interior.

“The lieutenant said Chu and she are okay. But the guards managed to rebel and escape among the confusion. So did Hyeon, he was picked up by a helicopter. The mission failed.”


	2. Pitiful Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go out unwillingly on patrol with your other subordinate, when things turn out to be more surprising than they seem.

There was a huff of frustration from Lieutenant Jeagal. You pondered on approaching her, feet shifting back and forth on the carpet floor. A glance at Rim, and upon seeing the concentrated gaze on his own screen, you eventually pushed down the lingering feeling in your stomach and sat back down. The atmosphere was an endless stretch of silence in the office today. It was unbearable except for the occasional clicking of keyboards from Chu, whom didn’t surprise you as he could always think of something intriguing to say on the spot. You would much prefer the thrill of a mission; however recent inactivity had proved that the Lieutenant was not keen on putting her youngest member into play until an extensive while later.

A total span of four days had passed by since Unit 2’s encounter with Hyeon. The major especially was not satisfied with the results, but at least congratulated your team on making a best effort and doing what mattered most at hand; surviving. After Jeagal had informed the three of you his opinion, she sauntered back to her desk without a word, claiming that the guards needed to be researched and added to the databases as well. She hadn’t even spared you a second glance.

Your hands were twitching to type. But nothing was coming out, any words or phrases slipped past quickly before there was a chance to gather it together. You were overwhelmed with so many questions about the mission. Cotton balls were stuffed in your head, the memory clear but far away, as if it was whisper right in your ear. You just didn’t know how to put such a scene into words, much less turn it into a neat report. 

The rush of movement. Someone was standing behind you in your peripheral vision. You recognized the tangled maroon hair to be Rim. “What do you want?”

He grins, but there was genuine curiosity behind it. “Oh nothing, I finished my report and wanted to see how you’re doing. But the lieutenant wants to see you,” Rim then gestures to the blank document glaring right back at him and you let out a grunt. “Let’s finish that quickly first.”

“I don’t know what to write. Hyeon was such a troublemaker and in the end we didn’t even catch him. What’s the point of explaining something that went horribly wrong?”

Upon hearing your cantankerous tone, he frowned and shook his head. “You know why, kiddo. Every piece of information on any mission is crucial, most of all for newly discovered details. If we go in with knowledge beforehand, then it’ll give us an advantage that could lead to either a successful or disastrous mission.” 

You knew this was true, but it still didn’t resonate correctly within your preference. Surely with time an idea would come, thinking hard enough was always an option for you and didn’t pose as a problem with reports. It was the matter that this time, you had acted against orders, yet you had found out more than previous policemen had ever discovered. The dawdling throb in your chest returned, dull yet consistent. She had wanted to talk to you in private, and it was almost positively going to be about Hyeon and what went wrong. 

Vague murmuring brought your attention back to your superior officer, staring at you with a raised brow. “Are you okay?”

When he didn’t get a reply, he let out a loud cough that had you reeling back in disgust, pivoting to meet him with cold, challenging eyes.

Rim moved closer, a bit too close for your liking, and you were made aware of his hand gripping the back of your chair. Normally you would be uncomfortable with the invasion of space, but your body didn’t make any attempt to pull out, perhaps Rim’s fatherly demeanour had influenced you way more than you’d thought. His eyes flickered to your hands tensed around the armrest, and took a tentative step back for measure, your clenched jaw relaxing.

“If you’re worrying about the lieutenant, just know that it’s normal. Don’t tell her about me spilling this to you, but the way she’s being brisk with you? It’s a phase. Every police officer goes through this.”

“What do you mean?”

He grinned at your suspicious gaze. “She’s testing you. Bearing in mind how you act in situations, what you say, how respectful you follow orders. Jeagal is basically monitoring your behaviour under her hawk eyes. You’re a rebellious one, and the Lieutenant doesn’t like that.”

“So? If she can’t handle people like me, then I won’t improve.”

Rim shot you a rigid glare. “Hey, don’t talk like that. She’s trying to help, and you need to learn to respect your teammates.” 

A scoff was the best he got out of you, as your legs shifted themselves back under the desk and your back was turned to him. You knew making him angry wasn’t going to fix the unresolved strain that formed once the gun in your arm had been fired during the mission. But it wasn’t right to try and make up for it either, was it? What happened was in the past, however Rim wouldn’t let it go, the vulgar impression you had left on him only seeming to encourage him further to bother you.

Once his footsteps faded away and your ears were affirmative he had left, the gears in your mind finally began to shift. Thoughts and sentences began flowing out. You began typing. As much as you reviled to admit, you had a feeling that Rim might have had a point about earning trust between your comrades, but quickly shook it off as the image of Chu came into place. How were you ever going to get along with the person that hated you to the bitter core? He despised you because of your competence, and you equally loathed him for treating both your jobs as a sort of competition. Fire and water never mixed well together, and he was bent on making your position here a living hell. You had barely said a word to him since your time together in the training academy, other than to bite back at his rude quips.

Two thousand and fifty two words. It was enough detail, wasn’t it? You printed the report before stretching in your chair, picking up the papers and imagining Lieutenant Jeagal’s icy, harsh voice. Emotionally preparing yourself was not sufficient though, as your heart began to pick up speed, frustrating thoughts dominating your mind again. You close your eyes and stapled the document together. What were you so nervous about? Rim had already reprimanded you once, so why couldn’t you handle another? The truth was all that needed to be explained, and you had enough evidence of significance to outweigh the consequences.

She was seated on the other side of the office. The room was a dessert, expanding continuously across the couple identical rows of partitions. It was only the four of you in the small room, but the varied posters and pictures stuck upon the wall made it appear larger than originally. You strolled across on your way, the silence appearing to chase after your every step. It provoked a sense of tranquillity, opposite to moments before where you could feel a pair of calculated eyes from a prying Chu, now a minor inconvenience contrast to your superior and leader lying in wait for your arrival. With bated breath you halted to knock gently on her divider before stepping around the corner, her hard gaze snapping to clash with yours. Stay calm.

“Ah, it’s you. Rim told you to come see me?”

“Yes, I know it’s about the mission. The report’s been done.”

“Great. But that isn’t the only reason why I convened you here. You’ve got something else to do later, but first I want to talk to you about disobeying orders.”

You detested the noticeable confusion in your voice, but you forced yourself to remain unfazed. You chuckled. At least one part had been expected. “I don’t think it’s going to be worth your time then.”

“Which do you think is more important,” Jeagal stood up from her desk, over passing your height by at least a couple inches. Her dark irises were portals to an inescapable oblivion, long hair settling behind her and creating a curtain of hazel. The nimble hands by her side splayed themselves onto the desk as she leaned in close, jaw tense with menace and glare narrowed to slits. The lieutenant’s tone was mechanical, detached and scathing. “The target or your comrades?”

She knew you were pushing her buttons. She knew you were that kind of person from the start. Intimidation was the last thing you wanted, so you stood in place, meeting the Lieutenant’s gaze with matched fervour.

“I know what I did was a mistake, but it was vital for me to attract Hyeon’s attention so that we could figure out what he was up to.”

“You did it out of anger.”

“But we wouldn’t have known at all what the expenses would result in. The whole mission had been a trap for us. Laid out by that sadistic bastard.” You were getting tired of hearing this. If the lieutenant was trying to get you on your knees for her, there was no way you were ever going to do it. Nothing would change your mind, particularly unfair comments as accusatory as Jeagal’s.

“I know you’re talented, but it doesn’t make up for your reckless attitude, rookie. What if we weren’t able to spot the plane or lost communication midway? Sometimes, the consequences for that are irreplaceable. How is any explanation going to succeed, when you’ve failed as an officer?”

Gritting your teeth, you begun to realize that she was right, no matter how much it infuriated you. There was no point in fighting a losing battle, not when she had already shifted her attention away on you to take the report from your trembling, enraged hands. Her tone was serene, besides the ghost of a smile behind her otherwise assertive statement.

“I think Chu ought to teach you a lesson. Both of you graduated at the same academy, right? The two of you must be friends.”

A choked guffaw burst from your chest, you were overcome with hysteria. “I’m sorry, but Chu and I getting along would happen when the world has ended.”

“It’s not up to you. Chu will take you out on patrol first thing tomorrow morning.”

With a small pat on your shoulder, she slipped out of the room, the conversation running exceptionally smoother than you intended. You were left with a shaking disturbance that couldn’t be purged. The urge to challenge it, to fight back, albeit intense, dissipated like fog the instant you were hit with a ripple of nausea. You placed a hand on your head and closed your eyes. Brows furrowed, exhaustion took the reins and you staggered meanwhile returning to your desk.

It would be impossible to look forward to patrol duty now. 

As deliberated, Chu had met up with you at the tiniest ray of sunlight, displeasure etched into his face upon your arrival. He must have known about the lieutenant’s orders, or else he wouldn’t have been on the brink of abandoning you at the office. 

Standing a head taller than you, the fair skinned Chu had a dominant feel about him. A particularly notable feature is the piercing on his lip from the time he joined the academy. His short hair was frizzy, pale grey bangs falling over his forehead. Chu had short arms and large hands, a bulky torso with a narrow waist and round hips. His casual attire consisted of scruffy simple clothes that covered his long legs, mostly light-coloured, loose and flowing.

Chu clicked his tongue, dull hazel eyes shut and brows furrowed in a disgusted expression. “You’re late.” 

“Only by a minute.” Came your quiet, sharp murmur as you followed him inaudibly to the parking lot.

The sun blooms on the horizon, golden petals stretching ever outwards into the rich blue. A brilliant glow warmed the slumbering city, light seeping into the tiny narrow spaces of the towering, silver structures. It would be a perfect occasion for a morning patrol, if there wasn’t a specific subordinate watching your moves like a vulture, ready to scold you at any second. Being assigned to the same unit had only been a miracle due to his father, a member of Unit three. To you, he was just an obstacle to conquer, a sand bag to punch and get reactions out of. Maybe today he was in a decent mood, as he chuckled dryly at your response and got into the car.

Chu started the car as your nose wrinkled at the smell of decomposing fertilizer in the air. Whoever had been assigned to take out the trash had forgotten, and the pungent smell had faintly risen like invisible fog over the cement. “I see that Jeagal decided to bring you along with me. What’s up with that?”

“No matter.”Of course he knew the reason. He just wanted to hear it coming from your own mouth. Chu loved to scratch at your insides until you’d break and tell him what was on your mind.

“Cat got your tongue? I think it’s because she knows how much you need a good officer like me to put you in place.” 

You found your hands squeezing together into fists as his fingers reached to grip the steering wheel. “Let’s just say that I sacrificed my reputation to accompany such a prick like you, offered by the lieutenant.”

He pulled the car over to the gas station, waving to the staff at the convenient store. “Not sure about that, but you’re too hopeless to understand, so okay.”

The streets were lively today, but nothing out of the ordinary popped up as suspicious to you. People of different clothing rushed back and forth on the roads, some as a family or by themselves for work. It was another boring day, gray, black, and white colours drilling into your eyes, with some colours being more vibrant than others. You saw a scrawny man enter the convenience store wearing a red cap, and a young willowy mother taking her child to the fast food restaurant across from there. The harsh sounds of honking cars and murmuring voices rang in your head like a looping tape. Variant smells trickled into your nose, a mixture of cigar smoke, gasoline, and the stink of asphalt, probably from scalding waves of daylight. Of course, it was mandatory to finish patrols around the entire assigned area, in case there was another usual speeding car every so often or worse. Distractions and business around usually brought relief, but you couldn’t help but replay the events over in your head, a sliver of uncertainty in the otherwise energetic region. Before setting out, Rim had mentioned to you about a desperate thief that had strike numerous times around the plaza that Chu had parked the car in, and had told you to keep an eye out for him. So that must have been what ticked your senses off ever since both of you had taken a break for lunch.

“Something on your mind? You look like you could use some food right about now.”

You frowned as Chu’s abrupt, malicious voice cut into your thoughts. Although you had already rejected his offer of a sandwich, it was probably hunger that added to your snappy tone. “I’m trying to think. There’s something that I can’t quite wrap my hands around; that guy that just entered the store seems familiar to me.”

“You sure? Maybe there’s something I can help with.” He raised a brow, but when your gaze drifted back to the entrance of the shop through the window, his eyes seemed to gleam with newfound approval. Obstinacy clouded his wary look. “That’s Seonu, right? He seems to match the description.” 

How he had figured out your exact motives was never palpable. Chu had his ways of finding information, and exploiting it during times you’d least expect it to be mentioned. You shot him a glare.

“I swear, you must be some kind of stalker or have mind-reading tricks because none of this was your business to begin with.”

He met your eyes with a mysterious lull, piercing the nerves in your shoulders and making you tense. “Does that mean I’m right?”

Deciding to ignore him, you were not invested in the conversation at all, observing the reflections of the store doors for the dark-skinned man. Seonu must have been miraculous to escape the clutches of the police up to this point, as he looked surprisingly unrecognizable except for the pair of eccentric violet eyes and distinct hawk tattoo perched upon his exposed right shoulder. 

You pushed the car door open upon a shadow that abruptly approached the door, a gut feeling immediately telling you that nobody would run that fast to the door after purchasing what they needed. Or so, rather not as Seonu obviously had not paid, the distinct frantic tone of the shopkeeper screaming after the thief, a hand running through his brown hair in distress as he realized there were still customers to attend to, and his legs refused to carry him fast enough to catch Seonu.

Upon laying his eyes on Chu, you blinked in confusion before it clicked that Seonu was the exact identical man that had the matching red hat prior to when you had watched him enter the store. Your heart began to pick up speed, muscles tense and breath held in preparation to pounce. If you caught him, would the lieutenant let you go on your mistakes? Or at least receive praising from Rim? You imagined the smiles on their faces as they congratulated you, following closely behind Chu while it sent a warm, pulsating buzz through your chest. 

He clutched the brown bags close to his chest, pressing protectively wrapped around his sturdy arms. Seonu skidded to a halt at Chu’s feet before his eyes widened, body trembling and cold sweat gathering at his forehead. Fear. Chin tilting up to meet the police officer, his face blanched within seconds, a pale yellow overshadowing his features. 

Your comrade held no patience in his growl, and yet he still asked bluntly about the obvious. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

A flash of movement. Chu was reaching to grab his arm, fingers curling to swipe with forceful intent. You approached him, observing the way he bit his lip and clenched his hands. His pulse raced beneath the vein on his neck, mouth dry with the insecurity of his actions. The man was ambushed and caught off guard. Clear in your eyes, he was afraid and not willing to cooperate in any sense possible.

Seonu’s quick reflexes saved him, the harsh grip resulting in only a brush of skin. With adrenaline kicking in, he darted in the opposite direction, a burst of speed accommodating his lanky legs as they pumped vigorously to carry him out of the chase. You pushed hot after his heels, a harsh shiver of solid fortitude conquering your mind to form one goal. Catch him. 

Footsteps pounded heavily behind, Chu passing you by a couple metres with long strides. Your energy spiked at its peak, every fibre of power functioning in harmony as your throat flooded with oxygen. Gritting your teeth, the heavy breathing from Seonu could be heard, a mixture of wheezing and gasps. You sprinted closer and closer, ignoring the building throb in your lungs, beginning to tingle despite you having practicing drills and doing an excessive amount of running during your time in the academy.

Limbs work in a cycle of motion to propel you forward, hand reaching out to grasp his arm and stagger him down brutally. However, a flurry of figures scrambled down to the floor, one dominating over the other and managing to pin him to the cement, wrists shoved behind his back to hinder resistance. You stumbled to a stop. You stared grimly at the scene with a strange bitterness. It clawed at your chest, spreading to thicken your blood with distaste. Chu had gotten to him first.

Seonu had collapsed in a fit of despair, wailing helplessly and defeated. “W-wait! I can explain! The food, it can all go to waste, but please, don’t take me to jail! I have a family to feed!” 

The chase had gone as quickly as it had come. The clicks of handcuffs slid securely around Seonu’s wrists as Chu scoffed in disbelief and hauled him to his feet. Soft whimpers were ignored, drowned out by Chu’s solemn tone. You raced over to the pile of scattered groceries, noticing a shed of gleaming light that could only be known as an invaluable object. Your gaze trained to that particular bag, mind circulating in confusion. Where did he get such luxury from a regular convenience store? Tearing through the collection, you saw varied colours of fruits and vegetables, not to mention several cans of preserved food. But what caught your eye the most was the piece of jewellery, a silver necklace with a shining jade gem hanging, finely cut and fancy looking.

Turning to Chu, you opened your mouth about to make a remark about Seonu’s items when a sharp grunt escaped your comrade, followed by a shift of tense motion. Chu had pinned the thief to the ground, suppressing his struggles.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you.”

A pang of irritation rippled through the pits your stomach and you took a moment to realize how feeble Seonu was; form trembling and sounds of anxious sobbing. Part of you reached out to him, a helpless smile forming at the corner of your lips but not quite revealing. However you couldn’t bring yourself to call out to Chu, feet shuffling quietly after his back. Submitting to your impulses was not going to be on your list. It wasn’t difficult to resist.

Watching Chu handle Seonu and force him into the back of the car, you slipped into the driver seat without another word, silently noting the surprised glare he shoots at your abrupt take in command. You don’t wait for the unpleasant words to spill from his mouth, creative thoughts already unfolding in front of you.

“Check on the store clerk. Just fill him in briefly on what happened.”

Out of the corner of your eye, his gaze narrowed in disbelief. You didn’t dare meet his face, but prepared for his draining rebukes, that always seemed to make your blood boil. “I’m in charge here. There’s no need.”

“Just listen to me,” You slid a hand along the steering wheel, observing the smooth black texture before raising a brow. “Unless you don’t think I’m capable?”

The surge of glee that accompanied Chu’s clenching jaw was enough to burst forth a hushed malicious chuckle. Usually expected, he was effortlessly on his feet and ready to fight back. There would be something critically honest next, as much as you hated to hear it. But his reaction to your playful banter would always be better worth over hearing whatever clever mess he had to say. 

“Exactly. I don’t trust you.” Chu shook his head, and the piercing glint in his amber irises returned, telling you again why he had come strikingly close behind your tail in second place at the academy. Every word jabbed at your insides like thorns. It was trapping you, broad and hot against your hampered thoughts. “Remember that you’re just here to tag along, not assume your position as leader.”

Ignoring the pang of shock in your head, you caught a glimpse of Seonu. Muttering under his breath and sweating profusely, he seemed to be on the brink of collapsing. Perhaps the arrest may have taken a heavy toll on him; more than the both of you would like. For now, you still had an idea, and Chu was still the main factor hindering it all. 

“Look, I know I messed up, being forced here on some stupid patrol mission with you. But think about it. None of this would have even come to your mind if it weren’t for me.”

It wasn’t like you found solace in the presence of him either, so why was he being so stubborn? Aching sensations throbbed into your muscles like a flooding river of poison, your head spinning with exhaustion. You furrowed your brows and looked straight into his eyes, right at his hard, unnerving gaze. “I’m not going to let Seonu escape, Chu. We both knew that he was bound to be caught eventually.”

He wasn’t going to understand. You knew that from the start. Talking to Seonu posed a threat regardless, no matter how submissive or open the person seemed. And yet a peculiar, strange warmth had begun in your rigid chest, shoulders falling slack in shock.

Chu sighed, crossing his arms with a disappointed frown. “I’ve heard many stories like his, okay? It doesn’t make the situation or outcome any better. Seonu still needs to face the consequences of his actions, and I want to get him back to the department as soon as possible. Whatever ridiculous idea you want with him can wait.”

It had seemed like an eternity before he had intensely searched your gaze to finally discover a reason. The subtle purpose behind your action, although he would never be able to decipher the specifics, would be sufficient for the time being. Chu sensed the insistent look in your eyes and caved in, knowing that there was another hidden motive. He decided to leave, turning his back on your wavering smile that threatened to break open. Unbearable at best, your mind was forever grateful for the one chance that he granted your proposal with, whether it was purely out of contempt or fatigue, you couldn’t decide. He wasn’t as bad as you had cut him out to be.

Shaking his head, Chu left without another word. “I’ll be informing the clerk on what happened if you need me.” 

You couldn’t let Seonu grow impatient over being unattended for too long, that was the other part of it. However, it was also crucial that nobody else could find out what you were about to do. Your plan would have to be executed carefully and approached without any sudden movements. Shaking your head in hopes of fixing your concentration, you opened the door, body immediately moving to barricade the door as Seonu’s wide eyes perked up at the intensity of your voice calling his name. This was fine. You were going to be fine.

“O-officer, please! I-“

You didn’t break your chilling gaze from him as you shook your head, his features twisting into unbearable anguish. A small gasp tore from his throat, body stilling instantly upon hearing the merciless words enunciated from your mouth. “Nothing you say is going to change this.”

Tingling up from the bottom of your spine, a breeze of the wind pushed your uncertainties to its limits. This wasn’t wrong was it? You couldn’t help the dull cramp in your stomach, the rushing thoughts from rickety doubt circling like shadows around your peripheral. You barely knew him, and yet your rough intentions to ignore him were replaced by a kindled hope, a desire to fix the problem, even if it was only temporary.

Softening your gaze, you bent down to his level, regarding him as an equal. Seonu made no move to scoot away but he was intimidated if the stiff muscles of his scrawny figure gave anything away. “I know this must be hard for you, losing a job and trying to feed your family.”

His eyes wandered to your hand as it trailed to a pocket behind your uniform, taking out a twenty dollar bill to pat into his pocket. All it took was the light that returned to his senses and the speechless shock on his face to know how incredibly grateful Seonu was. 

You smiled. Perhaps there truly was some sympathy that could be found inside you.

“I know this isn’t much and the police might still find this in your hands, but there are still better ways to earn money than breaking the law.”

“I....” Glistening tears pooled around his eyes as his thin lips formed into a contented beam. “Thank you.”

With that, you closed the door, sliding into the front just in time to catch Chang observe you suspiciously. His gaze flickered to you and then to the outline of Seonu, blinking like he wanted to say something, but pushed the thought down. With a growl of the engine he started the car, the entire ride back an unexplainably tense silence.


	3. Target Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a new face in your squad, not to mention revealing secrets that you can only get yourself trapped in.

You had always thought that Unit 2 was large enough, capable of fulfilling missions without further additional strength or members. Sure, your numbers were only half of the popular Unit 1 where almost every other new recruit was assigned, but you had insisted to yourself, perhaps there was a better reason, something special Jeagal saw in you, that had led to Unit 2 having a new officer joining the ropes.

However, your eyes were fixed on the unfamiliar face. A mixture of surprise and confusion ran through your nerves like an uncontrollable wave. Apparently you weren’t sufficient. It was strange how your feet shuffled on their own to approach the new recruit, yet a voice whispered, opposing and unrelenting in your mind. You found yourself narrowing your eyes at him, doubt beginning to dawn upon your uncertain thoughts. Who was this guy? Why was he here? Your gaze then shifted to curiously assess the rest of the group, Rim patting his back to push him forward towards you, Chu sharing just as much confliction from behind.

You shot Jeagal a withering look, a hostile, menacing tone lurking in your voice. Demanding but remaining composed at the same time.

“Who is this?”

Jeagal nodded at you, steely eyes fixed on you as a warning of your vulgar behaviour. “Kang is a new recruit here, assigned to Unit 2 just like you and any other promising academy graduate.”

As if to prove her point, she then introduced Chu as his lips curved into a weak smile, explaining that he was also a relatively fresh officer here, same as you. Chu reached out his hand to shake it with Kang, and your nauseous stomach was replaced with pathetic, uncomfortable pinches. Chu might have been unconcerned over the slight change in the unit, but you on the other hand, couldn’t understand how someone like Kang ended up here, much less trust him as a comrade. He seemed way too confident, establishing himself as cheerful and eager to learn. The twinge in your gut persisted, you were uneasy with uncertain issues about him showing Jeagal what he was capable of, all the while getting along with Rim and Chu as well.

It reminded you of yourself, when you had no idea of the horrors around society and the world.

He was similar to Chu in build, having violet hair that fell no lower than his shoulders. Pale skin and powerful lithe limbs, he placed a hand on his hip while observing you like a hawk its prey. He had a pair of sharp eyes, piercing and alluring while they narrowed at your furrowed expression, a stare of challenging with grim confusion. What appeared to be a scrap book was held in his hands, the pages starting to wrinkle and were cluttered with photos, but halfway through the rest of the text block, it seemed white and untouched. A maroon leather cover revealed itself under your searching gaze. He then cleared his throat and tucked the book into the crook of an elbow, purposefully out of your sight.

Jeagal then slipped you a testing stare. “I’ll leave you two to it then. He’ll be taking the desk across from yours.”

“How about you show him to his place? I’ll talk to you later, but in the meantime, try to get along, this isn’t like preschool.” Watching her sulk away, Rim placed a hand on your shoulder, the gesture making you fix your eyes uncomfortably on his cautious ones. He spoke in a hurry, but his soft voice held a scolding danger beneath, a consequence if it wasn’t obeyed. Chu brushed past you, in a briskly pace to get back to his desk. You were going to check on him after this. 

The man name Kang then introduced himself with a tight-lipped smile, reaching out with his unoccupied hand. Although you had made solid eye contact with him, you moved to cross your arms and stare at his retreating hand. A frown had etched its way onto your face as you jerked your head towards an abandoned desk, sturdy, fairly clean, and right across from yours. 

“That’s your home. Welcome to the Busan Police Department, more specifically Unit 2.”

“If you don’t mind, may I ask what your name is? I don’t recall you mentioning it.” He raised an eyebrow as he dragged his feet along the floor to follow you.

The file containing the reports of Seonu weighed heavily, a brick in your hand. You shot him a penetrating gaze, stomach knotting painfully. The distrust and strangeness of it all were probing you. For now, it was best to keep his hesitant attention focused on the difficult missions to come. Your feet shifted in the opposite direction, mouth pressing shut in an unpleasant, harsh murmur. 

“It’ll all be revealed in time.”

A while had passed since you decided to check up on Chu. Not that you were looking forward to it, but because there was something about him recently that you couldn’t place your hands on. As the two of you handled Seonu’s case, it was also necessary to write a report and do other paperwork involved, and sometimes it required discussing topics together.

You passed Jeagal’s desk on the way, the small but neat place empty. Getting caught was not going to happen today, there was a real reason behind why you were making your way to his corner of the room. Apart from suspicion and curiosity, you found yourself approaching Chu with a raised brow, placing your hands on either side of his table. The stress from reports was probably on his mind if they had been bothering you all day as well. 

Looking up, he put his pencil down and shifted back in his chair, avoiding the close proximity with a click of his tongue. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted to ask if you’re done your report. Cool your jets; you’re such a restless idiot when it comes to me.” Your unrelenting stare proved to be the breaking point for him as no later than a few moments he was already furrowing his eyebrows and crossing his arms with tight fists.

“Shut up. I finished, what did you really come here for?”

A few words managed to escape your lips, but not without a trace of fear in the pits of your stomach as out of your peripheral, Jeagal was making her way to Kang’s desk, probably to give him some instructions for the day. It wouldn’t be long before she’d discover that you were gone. “I noticed earlier that you were in an awful rush to get back to your desk after meeting Kang.”

He shifted his annoyed glare back to a scribble of notes, placed atop of a file that seemed partially full. “So? If it’s about him, I’ll say that he seems pretty selfless and naive, which might get him killed if he doesn’t learn to make sacrifices. Sounds like every other new officer here, but I think he’ll get the ropes soon enough.”

You shook your head. “That’s not what I meant, Chu. I’m talking about the new mission. Operation White Bay.”

There was a sudden shift in his demeanour, a glimmer of surprise in his gaze. Widened silver eyes swept over and captured yours like magnets.

“You seriously want to talk about this now?”

You nodded. “Yes. Don’t think I’m blind and can’t see the detailed plans and writing you have on the map of the harbour.” Your voice fell into a whisper upon hearing his rough warning.

He scoffed with narrowed slits, an offended look taking on his features. “Okay, so you caught me. But what are you going to do about it?”

There was the thrumming of your fingers against the table, your head tilted in thought. “Nothing. Unless you want me to help you as well? The major might have something prepared already but perhaps we can get ourselves some luck out of here with this.”

A grunt of exasperation was what you got, it made your fists clench at the fact that proposals from you were always deemed impossible whenever ideas came regarding Chu. “The hell? Either you’re super confident or just plain insane. I don’t know what you mean by help and I don’t want it.”

“I didn’t think you would be that pathetic to stoop so low and refuse. I haven’t even gotten to the point.”

“What point?”

The both of you turned slowly to peer at Rim, whose hazel eyes searched the depths of your shared conversation. Slightly hasty, you sighed to cover up, despite every nerve in your legs trembling, anxious of the outcome. Mind scrambling to find a reasonable reply, you close your eyes and cross your arms.

“It’s annoying how Chu here won’t listen to my advice on relaxing once in a while and taking on other missions with a teammate. Of course, I wasn’t going to offer myself as an option because then that would only ruin everything.”

Chu shot you a disgusted glance. “Yes, it would, because I can handle and do things independently just perfectly fine!” His hands rose to point accusingly at you, appalled of your terrible attempt to disguise the events at his expense. You shrugged helplessly, feeling internally warm and laughing at the chance to embarrass Chu. You decided to change subjects before Rim would notice and ask about the complicated lines and detail on the papers.

“Was there something you needed, Rim?”

He studied Chu’s silver eyes carefully before a moment of tense silence passed by. Nothing could be heard except for the soft rustling of the air conditioning. Your heart began to throb, was he going to push you further for answers? You were absolutely convinced that Rim suspected a secret being hidden away from him, due to the fact that he was a police officer just like you and could differentiate the truth from a lie. Especially without difficulty since he was your superior and had years of interrogations on his hands.

However, you found your shoulders relaxing on their own when he shook his head. He must have dismissed it as nothing crucial, deeming the pestering as just being riled up from you. “I just wanted to invite the both of you for shooting practice. You guys up for it?”

You didn’t even need to hold Rim’s excited eyes to fight back a smile yourself from his grin.

“Boy, am I ever. The rookie can come too; let’s see what he’s got in store for us.”

“Sounds great. The lieutenant needs to see whether he’s ready to get his gun, but she got me watching him because she’s busy with writing some reports for the major.” Rim chuckled, your enthusiasm radiating into him like a heater.

The only person holding back was Chu. Opposing from you, he turned his seat back around and began working once again, observing the notes closely with concern before waving away the two of you with a hand. 

That didn’t surprise you at all. It was to be expected after all, he was constantly busying himself with work and never wanted to relax or hang out with the rest of the squad. You almost pitied him for continuously being so closed off, but understood that being social wasn’t everyone’s best interest, including yours at times.

You sighed, there was nothing you could do and you weren’t ready for another confrontation, so Rim followed you out before he began to touch on previous events.

“I knew Chu was going to decline. I just wanted to be polite, and it seems like you need a break from him after that patrol Jeagal put you on with him,” You felt a hand grasp your arm, the touch oddly tight as you eyes raked him with warning. He released you, arms shrinking back to his sides, brows furrowed in contrite. “Sorry. You know I do that a lot because I care about you guys. I may not be much help right now, but how about we go to Archer Range tonight?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Your eyes strayed upwards before a small smirk could be seen, the action so subtle that Rim would have missed it if you hadn’t patted him mildly on the back. Hands shaking, you were careless to ignore how eager your heart seemed to pound. Anticipation seeped into your veins, casting an entrancing spell as every fibre in your being became lightweight in excitement. “You’re driving, by the way. Get Kang while we close up for the night.”

You soon discovered that Archer Range was an indoor shooting facility, with a lounge at the front and an administration desk where Rim had signed in. Observing a couple art paintings off to the side, you caught Kang wandering nearby while he peered at what Rim seemed to be holding, waiver forms. What could be on his mind? Kang was new here, so obviously he would have many questions left to be answered in time. Being a year younger than him, you weren’t keen on making conversation, suspicious that he didn’t join the unit for a heartfelt reason. You were always taught to rely on your instincts, and right now, you couldn’t handle Kang, who was new, unfamiliar, and most of all, delusional.

You moved away in hopes of finding a chair to read the newspapers on the wooden table when you heard a sound. His voice was soft, curious and had an innocent tone that caught your attention. You hated it immediately, forgetting that you had listened to it recently only hours ago.

“That’s your name, right? Rim told me that it’s your first time at a shooting range too.” 

You felt a pang of guilt in your gut towards Kang. Perhaps he only wanted to get to know you better, and leaving a bad impression due to being distrustful wasn’t highly admired. There was a reason for everything, maybe you ought to give it a shot. You had to be patient; he would soon grow to realize what being a police officer truly was. The triumph, the failure, and all the ugly, dark sides.

Nodding, you hesitated to gather your thoughts before gradually feeling your muscles relaxing upon shifting your gaze to his lukewarm, cerulean irises. “Rim says my skills are rusty, so he wants me to come along. You’ve never fired a gun before, have you?”

Once you made no stir to retreat did Kang continue, a grin spreading on his face. You couldn’t tell if it was because he figured out that you weren’t as hostile as you appeared previously. “Not really, what’s it like?”

“Loud as hell and the recoil when you pull the trigger is scary at first.” You chuckled, pushing down the waves of uneasiness that rippled through your chest.

Kang turned his head to detect Rim behind him. “Are those the equipment we need?”

“Yeah. I see you two are starting to talk now?”

While you had convinced yourself that Kang wouldn’t dare say any false ideas or perceptions about you, it was at least slightly relieving to hear him utter “I guess,” and stride over to catch up with you as Rim entered a room surrounding empty black walls.

Save for a couple targets and sturdy boxes that resembled stalls, there was a polite staff member that explained how to put on the ear and eye protection gear as well as how to load and fire the gun. It wasn’t your first time firing the gun, but the absolute power and weight it had on your hands would feel excessively surreal regardless of the situation.

You had sworn to serve and protect, and only in rare cases were you allowed to use necessary force that revealed such deadly weapons. Yet the reminder would always be there, hanging precariously above your head. Guns could, and have killed before.

Taking aim, you fired, the gun pushing back into your hand in rebound. There was a burst of noise, the bullet lodging itself at the edge of the target in a miniscule, dented hole.

With shaking hands you levelled the barrel at the painted object, another tear of thunder passing your ears. You still had several further attempts to accumulate points before the three of you would compare scores. All in all, you were enjoying the practice and you wouldn't have it any other way.

The beginnings of a smile tugged at your lips upon observing Kang. A while had passed since you had met him, but already a tingle was awakening in your chest, bizarre and stirring through your pounding head. You were sure he had no chance of staying in the squad, unable to take to the Lieutenant's standards and sent off to the favoured Unit 1.

During the time you were still handling issues that should have been cured of long ago, Kang was opening new ways to learn, take the problem by its reins and shake it to submission. When you passed him in the hall, he had already finished the paperwork you had passed him for the span of the day within a couple hours. The determination in his gaze was undeniable. There were heaps of hidden talents he could possess, his kindness you had yet to endure. Although you found it difficult to imagine countless missions with him in tackle, you were indisputably eager to pay closer attention at what kind of feelings he possessed about joining as an officer.

Another bullet struck the target, this time cutting cleanly across however it missed the middle, instead passing through the third ring furthest from the border. You frowned and narrowed your eyes at the circular object, holding it as perfectly still as you could within the center. There was another sudden torrent of sounds while you felt the harsh abrupt shift of the gun. Carefully firing a couple more shots, you decided to call it a day and stepped out of your stall. Vaguely aware that Rim was watching the both of you with steely eyes, it brought an intimidating aura that you weren't used to, and a wary glance was all you could give him.

"I'm pretty sure Kang did better than you, rookie. I checked your scores and he topped you by at least ten points, there were even twenty targets to hit and you only managed to hit eleven? That's not going to look good for the lieutenant; I'm wondering how she approved your gun in the first place."

Lowering your head, you scoffed while handing the equipment back to the employee. "Firearms have never been my thing and you know that."

Rim searched your gaze for a few moments, leaving your thoughts stripped bare as his brows furrowed. "Something's wrong with you today. Not today, I think it's more or less after you talked with Chu."

Mind scrambling for a sufficient response, you were not expecting Rim to remain silent without pushing you further on the subject. "I guess I'm just tired."

"If you need anything, you know who to call."

You nodded while pushing the door open. "I might've left something at the office that must've been what I couldn't put my hands on." 

Kang approached from behind, waving at Rim's retreating form before giving you a small smile. "I could help you improve if you want. We could come here every so often so you can practice more."

"Why would you want to help me? Obviously you want something in return." spreading your hands, you gave him a sceptical look.

Leaning closer, he blinked several times before setting his mouth into a thin line. "Without proper training, you won't be able to defend the precious rules of justice."

Pivoting your feet towards the outside street, you glanced over your shoulder, exasperated. "What the heck does that mean? Nobody here says that. With that attitude, you're bound to enter a whole world of hell if you think crime-fighting works like that."

"I just want to help wherever I can."

"If you really insist, then I guess I could teach you some hand-to-hand techniques in return. But be sure you mean it, or else you'll regret it with me."

The corners of his mouth quirked upwards as he gave a subtle nod. "It was nice to meet you properly this time."

You found yourself returning a nod before setting off south towards the looming beige-painted department in your sights, a separate goal in your restless mind. 

The lights were still on when you entered the building floor for Unit 2. You realized that the further you walked towards your desk, the closer the source of brightness became. Once your hand reached to grab your abandoned jacket on the chair, you stole a peek at the nearby stall and figured out that it was none other than Chu's desk.

A soft groan broke the otherwise silent floor. You found your footsteps faltering as if on instinct, suspicion taking over your senses. Chu sounded frustrated, if not for the rustling of papers that confirmed your utmost fears. 

He must be still working on the plans for Operation White Bay.

His gaze rounded on you once your figure turned around the corner in plain sight. "I thought I heard some noises."

"I just forgot something and came to pick it up." You pinched the bridge of your nose, a sudden idea provoking an unquenchable thirst of curiosity. "You're still stuck on the plans, aren't you? 

Although he gave no reply, he pointed at the borders of the map, tracing his finger around it and tapping. "I can't seem to figure out how we can invade here without being spotted. It's also a place that might give us a disadvantage if we're not careful."

"So you want my help."You had no clue why he was telling you all this, but there surely had to be a reason.

"Putting it nicely, it's more or less like that."

You leaned closer to inspect the details, noting the consistency of the patrols. "We need a big enough of a distraction to lure them away."

"I guess I never thought about that."

Hesitation gave way to fear of the unknown, and you knew it was either all or nothing. Your excitement eventually gave way to uncertainty, feeling a pang of doubt from the deepest pits of your stomach. The idea wasn't terrible; however it all depended on whether you could handle Chu to play his part properly as well. The higher-ups needed fresh tactics and strategies to develop for this mission. You had to at least try, hating how grating your voice sounded.

"How about I help you with the plans?"

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy! Feedback and comments are appreciated as always.


End file.
